Snacks & Treats

Fried desserts aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when people think about French food, right? But you should know that some French regions boast with fried doughs and treats of all kinds – several of which make use of seasonal fruits in simple and comforting ways. These Pear Sauce Puff Pastry Fritters, known in French as “Rissoles aux Poires” are my fall Favorites. They’re made with puff pastry filled with pear sauce and then fried to golden perfection. They’re crunchy, sweet, sticky, and very moreish. These little fritters …

A tender, buttery, rum-flavored crumb nestled with big chunks of apples makes the Classic French Apple Cake a delicious staple. Right before baking, the cake gets dusted with sugar to create a signature crackly top that makes it even more unique, all while letting the apples shine beautifully. It is a simple and timeless cake recipe, just sweet enough and with a delightful more-apple-than-crumb-ratio. A must for your French baking repertoire.

We’re in the thick of stone fruit season and this Fresh Peach Yogurt Cake is an irresistible Summer dessert recipe to celebrate these juicy, fresh fruits. As with most French yogurt cakes, it is quick and easy to make and has a dense crumb flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and topped with slices of fresh peaches. If you are looking for an easy, fuss-free peach dessert that’s guaranteed to please your guests, this recipe is for you!

Floral, zesty, buttery. These Lavender Sablé Cookies are the perfect little Summer treat. They are very popular in Provence, in the South of France, a region known for its abundance of lavender fields and lavender-forward cooking repertoire. But first, if you’re unaware, Sablés are the king of French cookies. Their name refers to their sandy (sablé) texture, which is achieved by a fair amount of butter. I like to think of them as the French’s answer to shortbread, only a bit thinner and richer in taste. They come in so …

The kick-off to patio season has to be celebrated with a great appetizer, right? Which is why today’s recipe is perfectly suited. This Ham, Olive and Cheese Bread is very popular in France, and a French aperitif favorite. Known in French as a “cake salé” (savory cake), you’ll often find this type of rustic bread/loaf served at friendly get-togethers or for pre-meal snacks and drinks in France. They come in all variations and are traditionally cut in thin slices or cubes for guests to pick at, while mingling before dinner. …

It’s berry season! And what could be a better pairing for berries than a hefty slice of pound cake with a generous dollop of whipped cream? But not just any pound cake, a Breton Pound Cake! In French, this Breton Pound cake is called a “quatre-quarts“, which translates to “four quarters”. It is very popular in Brittany, of course, but also widely known and enjoyed all throughout France. It consists – just like a classic pound cake – of four ingredients of equal weight: one quarter flour, one quarter butter, …

If you’re as fond of flaky pies bursting with fruits as I am, you’re in for a treat! This Jalousie Tart is named after its slatted puff-pastry top that allows the fruit filling to peek through, reminiscent of Jalousie shutters. In this lovely Spring variation, the crisp buttery puff-pastry encompasses an irresistible spiced berry filling bursting with sweetness and zing.

A French “Financier” is a notoriously delicate little almond cake (usually bite-size), made with ground almonds and flavored with “beurre-noisette” (brown butter). It has a rich, moist interior and a crisp egg-shell exterior. And if you’re a regular on this blog, you’re probably no stranger to my love for Financiers. I especially love to make them in the Spring time as they work so wonderfully nestled with fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries and of course, strawberries.

Just like Crêpes or the Apple Tarte Tatin, this Orange Yogurt Cake is a must-have in your baking repertoire if you are French.  It is one of the most popular cakes to bake (and eat) in the country, as it is a perfect heirloom recipe: it is simple, but it just works so well. A “Gâteau au Yaourt” is actually the first cake I ever baked. One day in primary school, our teacher brought a pack of yogurt cups and we all gathered around a table to make the simplest …

It’s Carnaval season! And with Mardi Gras just around the corner, it’s time to dig out the large pots, slotted spoons and oil jars, and whip up some batches of beignets – something the French excel at! Whether they’re the classic soft “Beignets”, the crisp “Bugnes” or “Oreillettes” from the city of Lyon, the “Ganses” from the city of Nice, “Shenkeles” from the Alsace region… you’ll find carnaval fried doughs with so many different shapes, textures and names in France. But, some of my favorites are these little round puffs, …